The Arecibo radio astronomy observatory will soon be managed and operated by a consortium of universities, headed by the University of Central Florida. The National Science Foundation will cede the facility to UCF on April 1st.

It is proposed to continue Arecibo's current scope of scientific work, with time shared between UCF, NASA, and other observers. The National Science Foundation had previously announced its intention to gradually reduce funding for Arecibo from 8 to 2 million dollars per year, and its search for another institution to take charge of the observatory.